Let me get this out of the way: I'm not a K-pop fan. I'm not a 'Koreaboo' like my cousins in Pennsylvania. I can listen to it if it's on the radio or someone recommended some music for me. I've been listening to BTS after my deep dive into Eastern RPS and fandoms to see how it worked over there. I think my favorite song from BTS Spring Day will remain one of my faves list for a long time and will remain on top of any Kpop songs I like; I fell in love with Spring Day and will play an instrumental of it if I can at my wedding because that's how much I love it.
And yes, I do have nostalgia for certain K-pop music groups. BigBang, Exo, Shinee, SS501, Brown Eyed Girls, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, 2NE1, G-Dragon... Notably, I listened to these during my middle school and high school days largely due to my cousins who were my gateway to Kpop and Kdramas. I know they still prefer to watch Kdramas to this day while my cousins in PA are Koreaboos apparently. In turn, they know I know my anime so I give it to them in return. I still remember hearing Gangnam Style because my friends were into it. I didn't listen to their entire discography but if something piqued my interest or just want me to listen to something in the meantime, I can listen.
As far as I am concerned, whenever people tried to negate BTS Pave The Way, the Korean or Japanese songs that were crossover either never peaked consecutively or scored low on the Billboard charts, relegated to YouTube music videos, essentially one-hit wonders. Kpop in the West had always been niche; while there is interest, it only remained only a little and garnered minor successes but nothing that fully crossover and that everyone knew their name. Psy kinda did that but he’s a one-hit-wonder - two hits but the point remains he is remembered for the horse dance than the lyrics or even his second hit - over here. I think the Kpop fans in the West, especially those who listened to the music in the early 2000s, forgot the word niche. I will say BTS’s rise was not without Asian precedent but BTS is forging a path unprecedented for any Asian act breaking into the global market, especially the US scene.
Crayon Pop would’ve been one of the first Korean artists to be on American soil for a Lady Gaga Artpop; and that Kpop group is normal and would fade in comparison to the madness of Lady Gaga. Psy crossover here as a result of being just seeing it as a meme, not caring to know the lyrics; I remember this well in my high school days when my friends kept showing me the mv during school that has no subs. Arashi may have made it on the Billboards yet they have not quite held on to it after that one. I remember Girl’s Generation’s Gee and Run Devil Run being remarked as catchy to the point the latter got a guest singer from America. BigBang's Fantastic Baby was noted to be quite catchy by most people yet the interest to know more isn't exactly there except for the Kpop fans; I know this from my own younger cousin who wasn't interested in Kpop in any way, shape, or form - she still isn't - and she still knew this only on the basis of it being catchy and that's it. Though I don't think that counts since she has known about Kpop since introduced by her sister and I repeat we are cousins. Heck, that song was featured on Glee with Psy’s Gangnam Style! Though a feature on Glee wasn’t always good since it’s Glee. And I doubt anybody thought of the song as something written by the members but a party song and that’s it. I guess a party song would be universal, just like a hype song; yet lyrical intentions make the difference. CL and Wonder Girls did make it onto the charts but it was low and never made another hit. Super Junior even got at least two overseas awards, one in 2015, but it’s not exactly prestigious. JYP even got a collaboration with Conan but I don’t think it raised his profile in any significant way; he did try repeatedly to break into the market as far back as the early 2000s but only achieved a one-hit-wonder. All that on their Korean popularity translates to worldwide popularity.
And during of time of the Big 3 trying to break into the Western market, the one band who was the ultimate driving force BTS was currently in LA in 2014 (as for myself, I was just starting out college then and seeing them in LA for AHL is nostalgia as they went to Long Beach, one of the beaches I went with my family during my childhood), learning about hip-hop culture and trying to promote a free concert of 200. As a result of that, they got an excited reaction from fans at KCON months later. And later right under the Big 3's noses, that very band will be invited to the BBMAs and AMAs in 2017 and climb the upper echelons of the pop pantheon.
There have been minor successes and some world tours over here but only minor due to the international fanbases. Not the entire world. They knew about it in inklings. I have to repeat this: Nobody here in the West saw BTS coming, maybe another boyband to take over the world just like One Direction before it, but not a Kpop boyband. There has always been an insanely popular boyband taking over the world since its inception. I think the West was so used to the western boybands dying off that they never saw boybands from the other side of the world where it's still growing will make it over here.
Viral hits like Crayon Pop, Psy, Boa, Big Bang, Girl's Generation, and even Arashi have gotten some attention because of catchiness or meme or both. Minimal interest but not quite since the Korean stars and the companies either are too cautious or just a one-hit-wonder. Because that’s how I saw Asian music crossover here to the USA: a one-hit-wonder either from its memetic or catchy music video and the stars & companies’ lack of promotions or just trying to get the word out despite the desire for global success because American music usually dominates the airwaves. For Korean stars, local success equals worldwide popularity. They are aware of international fans but never quite tour outside Asia. It truly would’ve been awesome to see BigBang on AMAs or at the Rose Bowl had YG or BigBang try to promote themselves or just do something to drive up interest in the West than music videos on YouTube. I would love to attend a BigBang concert had it not been I live on the other side of the planet and have no chance of buying tickets. Seriously, have it not been for the lack of concerts over here, I would’ve bought a light stick by now.
BTS changed things. For one, their international fanbase grew better than their home base until they finally made it back home with HYYH and their usage of social media to detail themselves as ordinary dorky maturing people who literally came from nothing but shown both the good and bad sides of themselves. In idol life, one must be perfect at all times and the interactions with fans are relegated to events; finished products, not makeup-less people casually talking over snacks or ranting about a friend until another friend crashed their vlogs. There wouldn’t have been an influx of idols’ social media as the idol industry are just so used to managers doing the PR work for them. Idols are far more controlled than ordinary celebs in Asia because of all the manufactured image of everyone is all friends and these idols are dating the fans thing. It’s relaxed about the everyone is all friends in China and Japan due to either the burgeoning idol life in the former or the graduation system in the latter.
Kpop companies and stars were comfortable just playing in Asian countries. Heck, Big Bang’s last biggest tours were only in Asia and they would’ve made a fantastic entrance on American soil with Coachella, years after their Asia-only tours. They got the Made Tour which is still their only actual world tour, not just in Asia yet their last tour was still in Asia. They got a record turnout from that Made Tour, can’t they do more than just having that one? They were even praised so they could’ve done it! They could’ve made it here years earlier had they just done something over here than relying on the local success that translated to global recognition in some form.
I know that the Kpop industry does dream of global success and want to make it on American soil. You can see trainees dreaming of becoming the next BTS or gaining worldwide recognition beyond curious fans watching survival shows. It’s just the industry have preconceptions on how to accomplish that and just don’t know-how. The names I listed because of my own nostalgia are only popular due to vague interests over here but nothing that opened public interest. What little interest the USA had in Kpop then were preconceived notions of what it is and memetic catchy music then and there. I have seen more people discuss Gangnam Style or even Fantastic Baby than Wedding Dress. There are still preconceived notions about what the West has for Kpop as a whole, just like anime and manga before it.
The Big 3 got to know they have an international fanbase for each group. However, their mentality was Korean success = worldwide success. They have seen this happen with their best groups and have only a few world tours in the West or nominated for a Teen Choice award or chart just a little albeit very low. Even to this day, the diehard Kpop fans adore the 2nd generation. I have nostalgia but remain neutral since Kpop is not my thing. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t break into it. Even Epik High at Coachella 2016 didn’t raise many eyebrows from the public until BTS won BBMAs Top Social Artist in 2017. Then Kpop just shot up like an explosion. Psy did raise eyebrows because as I remember from what my friends and classmates say that it’s catchy and a meme; even my brother’s friends knew about it as exactly that! But that’s no good when Psy is doing more than that.
BTS opened the doors by doing the unconventional due to the facts they used social media to show their real selves in spite of all the glitz and glam of idol life & they were from a small company who have to use creative ways including their own talents in their determination to fulfill their dreams. Remember BTS never expected this level of success, all they wanted was to fulfill their dreams. They only started promoting in the US in 2017. Watch this video for more information.
Previous Kpop hits are merely one-hit wonders or had only gone viral due to catchiness or music videos. None try to promote themselves or try to make themselves known beyond nostalgia or memes. Because that’s how I saw Kpop back then, nostalgia because they were catchy and memetic; the people I know didn’t bother to try learning Korean else Koreaboos would’ve been a thing then. I saw more Weebs as it's now called than Koreaboos. It’s just nostalgia and minimal interest. None have quite caught the imagination like BTS opening the floodgates for the companies to actually try promoting or finally making a debut in particular venues or doing anything to gain global attention like SuperM project and Twice and NCT’s efforts. BTS continued to make it on the Billboards well before their promotions and even they express awe when they were invited to AMAs back in 2017. Their fame was gradual and they didn’t start promoting in the USA until 2017.
I mean I still remember being shown Taeyang's Wedding Dress by one of my cousins and liking it ever since. I mean I wouldn't put it as my fave music of all time list any time soon, but I do have nostalgia since my middle school days. On an aside note, do people really play Wedding Dress at their weddings? Have they ever listen to the lyrics? It's better on a heartbreak/breakup playlist, not a wedding or a bachelor/ette playlist. Taeyang's Eyes, Nose, Lips is best on the wedding playlist.
As in the previous link video, there are singer-songwriters in the form of BigBang, Seventeen, and GFriend. We shouldn't negate them just because BTS exists. I think the difference for why BTS became so big was the ethos, bridging individualism and typical Asian ethos, crushing the cultural and language barriers.
Idol music with influences from Black music - you cannot deny this and it would dovetail about cultural appropriation and antiblackness when things are really gray, really gray. I think the hairstyles should stop at the very least while the music will continue to evolve. - has always been less than well-regarded in Korea. There is a reason why BTS has that song Idol because of the divide of Idol and Artist - there might be some crossing but when soloists like Rain and IU, they will always be seen as soloists. For people in Korea, idols are fake with all that makeup and fake rapping according to the underground scene there. The animosity the underground KHipHop scene had for idol rappers can be seen in the Bfree incident with all that sexist homophobic insults he said basically. There are some underground rappers becoming idols. I don’t know if any of them are respected as Zico is. I know RM lost friends because his decision to become an idol rapper was not liked. I mean I understand their feelings of betrayal but that doesn't give them the excuse of hating everything he does just because he chose a different path. They didn't have to bash his looks indirectly and the music he puts out there. I have a feeling the KHipHop scene has a lot of posers pretending they're all swag based on what they think Hip Hop is and that's a whole can of worms I don't wanna open.
On a brief note, antiblackness does exist and will take time to unlearn, lots of time to unlearn, when the global atmosphere has the tendency to think antiblackness is normal. Even the Kpop idols especially BTS took time to actually address Black Lives Matter when it came to a head in 2020. Not only it's an uneasy conversation, considering history, but it will take time. BTS, CL, and others in the world, from every walks of life, would need to unlearn, be upfront with their racism, especially being forced to confront it. I bet BTS with RM being criticized with the But Namjoon and apology - maybe the apology isn't specific - know they would have a lot of work ahead of them to improve themselves; they are growing from working with gender studies professors, are they gonna learn more about Black culture and music because their education is still not complete and know the world is very racist, not just towards Asians being blamed for COVID but also the horrible treatment of the Black lives under the world grip of racism and more? The controversies BTS had gotten in were of the political tensions kind, given they are a global star now and would need to learn. They changed a Korean word or two for Fake Love in the BBMAs performance because it sounded like the n-word.
There is no time limit to activism, not when racism and the fight against it will continue to struggle. The so-called time limits to when you support a cause are stupid because this is an ongoing battle and solidarity is a must than tensions because 'you didn't speak up sooner! How dare you!', the latter of which feeds into white supremacy. People will see that it is wrong, just need to understand the nuances before speaking up. Look at me. I need to learn about antiblackness so I can actually help BLM. I actually know about Japanese social issues such as the LGBT and feminism, particularly the latter where Japan has its own feminism movement that is unlike the West. Victims aren't obliged to speak up about their experiences from racists.
Music is for everyone with tastes and preferences. When Black culture and music have spread all over the world, the world must take notice of their own attitude towards Black culture, music, and people. And Black people aren't saints either as even D'Angelo has his own scraps with transphobia and racism, something not even he is aware of himself. Just that we must take notice of the culture, music, and the people, treating them as humans rightfully deserving of respect. What Black people want is no cultural appropriation and more representation. Appropriation is not appreciation. This doesn't mean people can't enjoy Kpop, especially Black people.
Kpop imported much from Black culture and music. Really, for anybody in the Kpop industry and the whole world really, these idols must outright speak they are unlearning about appropriation from Black culture and learning about intersectional feminism. Everyone is human and will make mistakes, even the best of us. We shouldn't unilaterally blame Kpop idols for everything though they play a part in its harm and perpetuation when racism, patriarchy, and sexism go beyond. Grammys still have their issues with Black musicians just like Oscars So White. Maybe BTS's nomination could be twofold for foreign artists and Asian musicians all over, maybe the ongoing political crisis would sprout to nominate and give awards to Black musicians after all the Black Lives Matter and representation where they are deserving of credit. Now BTS is being discussed seriously in the academic field and outside where the sexist anything femme deemed lesser, Asian representation, cultural appropriation, Kpop in terms of the Black culture (with the terms link, I disagree on her takes with Teen Wolf as I'd been in the depths of the meta but she does bring up good points on other points), and Black culture discussed albeit tentatively. See Elliot Sang, a biracial Latino-Asian guy who loves Hip Hop and Rap and would discuss it at length with the actual knowledge to back it up albeit still from an outsider since he's not Black.
There is a lot of stigma around being a Kpop idol in Korea. The underground KHipHop scene finds them fake, the general public prefers soloists and other bands than an idol - heck, only BigBang and barely Girl’s Generation have been recognized as Korean influential musicians, I think that was the list, two idol groups; no Shinee or Super Junior despite Kpop fans want to argue otherwise - due to saying it’s manufactured and standardized dolls. While the general public would like some idol music then and there, for them, it majorly seemed ‘bubblegum pop’ than anything substantial. That’s really so bad since there are talented singer-songwriters taught by said industrialized teachers from vocals to dance to writing and it is a waste the stigma of idols being industrialized fake dolls; I won't deny that it's to a point true idols are industrialized fake dolls considering how much the companies controlled their image. I'm sure the underground rappers turned idols know it. When the Kpop industry is already powerful in its own sphere, I don’t think it hurts them when kids flocked to it to become an idol anyway.
This nearly lasted 40 minutes! The last performance was saved for the biggest and successful artists that ever emerged out of SK. No other artist, not Seo Taiji, not Epik High, not BigBang, not G-Dragon, not Taeyang, has a set that lasts past half an hour at most. NCT only got close to 20 minutes last time I recalled!
It seems like BTS and BH broke the Kpop industry and even Korean media itself.
When BH was a startup, they have to use creative ways to get noticed like making their own reality shows like Rookie King, American Hustle Life, and later BTS Run. They used social media extensively like showing the boys’ thought processes and convos, talking directly to fans through vlogs and vlives. Y’know like normal people who like to ramble about everyday life and post random things they like on their social media, just like everyone else. They show more of themselves though still curated. As for finances, finding investors and even the money just for music videos or feeding them alone got to be cheap. I mean a two-room apartment with only a kitchen and bathroom is not pleasing for anybody but they have to adapt anyway.
What mainstream variety shows like Knowing Brothers and Running Man are far less, even Weekly Idol, are what the Big 3 typically used alongside weekly award shows like M Countdown. I think this was partly the reason why other fandoms were jealous of ARMYs since they got so much free content while they have to seek it out. I also heard controversies and rumors about bribing and rigging alongside arguments about who deserves what at the major award shows. Though those award shows don’t have the best track record either with apparently wanting money, not paying them, cutting short idols’ performances, lack of prestige or prestige in the form of having famous people and that's it, and voting issues that they decreed invalid when it didn’t make any sense. Regardless of the issues of the award shows, many trainees and rookie idol groups dreamed of getting a daesang and still give a wonderful performance no matter what because they truly love the art. The best equivalent I see is the BBMAs.
Then came BH and BTS, a rising kingdom in the Kpop dominion. Before anyone can realize it, Bighit grew in power surely and slowly through the sheer force of BTS alone. I mean they couldn't have known when BTS took home their first daesang in 2016 and a year later with Spring Day that remained the Korean general public's love and became the longest-charting idol song ever as they couldn't have foreseen that. Right under their noses, BTS took the Big 3's desire for overseas success and elevated themselves to stand next to the greats of Kpop legend. BTS and BH became so big that the Kpop industry can't ignore them anymore.
Nobody saw BTS coming as the biggest boyband in the world, winning predominantly Western - not just American awards, they got a French music award! - and Eastern award shows all around and topping the international charts in their explosive rise. Nobody did, not even BTS and BH themselves. Nobody in the industry from the antis to the original companies before BH joined them can argue BTS didn’t deserve to win all the awards because they did. Before there were controversies and rumors of bribing to win at music award shows, now BH and BTS broke the system that there is a way to win legitimately without dirty play. Now, nobody can say Got7 and Seventeen don't deserve their awards especially since BTS kept getting the top prizes so they might as well be happy with a smaller daesang.
And they did all this without the Korean media promotions; seeing it was a small company and that broadcasts like to cut out rookies (even NCT got this), I don’t know if it will help. Before BTS’s meteoric rise, they have moderate success with winning two daesang and perfectly content with that. They did all the success without their help. That gotta sting the pride of not only the Big 3 but also the networks connected to them like the news media who promotes the shit out of popular bands.
Korean media tried to find any scandal just to bring them down because BTS won all that fame without them and barely promoted them. The only reason they are now somewhat working with them is because of the pandemic. But even then they downplay it so much the people watching the media doesn’t understand what an achievement it was, thinking it’s like the MMA when it’s much harder for an Asian act with all the Asian things attached to it even making it in an English primary Billboards and Grammy nomination is a feat nobody saw coming.
I’m still sure Dispatch got dirt on BTS and BH that they just can’t air out lest they want lawsuits and be viewed as more immorally reprehensible than ever before; it’s info too valuable to be sent to some jealous and petty news media and companies. I’m certain the info will only benefit Dispatch as others even blinded with their jealousy and pettiness would view such info with horror because they can’t air it out without backlash from the entire world. That’s the only thing I could think of since the so-called scandals the media likes to stress a relatively harmless incident like Jungkook’s car accident as something planned. Dispatch had made nasty articles about BTS after the contract ended but alleviated a little. There’s something strange about Dispatch regarding BTS as if they know something the rest of the world doesn’t. I don't know why but that's the feeling I'm getting; while it's perfectly natural to think BH had a contract with Dispatch because it better keep close to the devil than not and that Dispatch has something on them, I have a feeling Dispatch have the info they caught but can't air out lest they want the backlash from every sector of the world and the country itself. That time when they tried to follow Jk only to find him go to the convenience store for banana milk was probably something so lucky and memetic enough that fans don't consider maybe Dispatch has something on BTS that can't be aired out. Seriously for what BTS is, I think the info Dispatch got on BTS are far too valuable on itself that people might joke that of course, BTS is so like this, the only dirt they have on them is just so valuable and cannot be circulated lest you want lawsuits and be viewed as evil or eviller than you already are. Think of it in the same way as BigBang until shit hits the fan with the Burning Sun Scandal and the drug charges. Nobody saw those coming except fans noticing the mental health issues the latter artists were going through. Think of it that way just with the opposite when it comes to BTS.
Nowadays, you see idols and companies using social media beyond teasers and music videos; heck, social media are usually controlled by the companies that even small companies understandably refused to let their groups use social media out of fear. Some groups started their own reality shows and vlives. They started to show behind the scenes and even the work process. Now idols have their own accounts or group accounts, still controlled by the company to some extent since I saw Sehun use an LGBT effect in one of his Instalives. They are no longer relying on the scant shows but their own power. Now they don't even have to be famous in Korea to make it, just have both the K-fans and the I-fans pay good money.
Pre-debut rookie groups used to do some pre-debut things. For BTS, it's Twitter, a blog, Soundcloud, and vlogs. For Seventeen, it's the unofficial variety show. For Wanna One, it's a concert stage before the official debut. Now, social media became so used now ever before after seeing what BTS had done to rose to prominence.
There are already tour documentaries like BigBang Made but given more volume now since BTS showed what can be done.
Bands like Loona, Gi-dle, and the Boyz took major inspiration from BTS and their work. Ironically, just like BTS’s admiration of groups like BigBang, Epik High, and Seo Taiji & Boys, they became a source of inspiration for the new trainees and groups who dreamed.
Now because of underdogs beating the system, other small companies now have chances to show their thing. Suddenly, companies like Pledis now have enough power due to Seventeen alone. It's no longer the Big 3 or even 4, there are many small companies who now have global fanbases based on social media now. They don't have to rely on the traditional true-and-tried method as they can easily earn money from international fanbases.
The industry was and is already oversaturated when BTS came into the scene. Every Kpop fan admitted 3rd generation has so many idol groups that it's hard to keep track of them. Only 1% of idols could make it while the rest would flounder. Maybe it's changing now because BTS can show that you can earn money from international fanbases. But even that's a fairytale as most groups would disband for many reasons & sometimes not out of their own choice and there are the lowest viewed Kpop music videos with criticisms from international Kpop fans. BTS would have disbanded too had luck not worked in their favor.
BTS had spent so much time fighting to be recognized in the Kpop industry, fighting the Kpop industry from the very beginning. I'm not saying that other smaller companies like Pledis didn't fight too. All I'm saying is that due to the prejudices of the Big 3 and smaller companies in general, they really have to fight against all the negativity, needless or otherwise, just to stand next to them. And that's what BTS and BH wanted, just wanted to stand toe-to-toe next to at least the middle businesses like Cube. Pledis did that with their successes with Seventeen and Nuest. I don't think they expected to be one of the Big whatever number. They were perfectly fine with the moderate success of I Need U and that song's album, standing as one of the middle businesses. They were not expecting to have the US music scene to invite them over to attend a big music event. That shot them straight for the Big 3’s level of standing.
BTS certainly never once dreamed they would be this big, sweeping awards in their home country and abroad (except for the one that mattered, the Grammys, though they have been invited to it three times now), able to perform a forty-minute set at an award show, and changing a law because they got so big the pressure is onto them. They never thought they would be admired as much as their biggest idols.
And they are still fighting now against preconceived notions about boybands and Kpop in general. Once used to be at the bottom of the Kpop industry, now they sat at the very top with the legends they still admire to this day, leading the charge in the Western market while the Korean media downplayed their achievements to the people who don’t even know the importance.
The Kpop industry wanted to go global, get known rather it being a niche genre in the West. I only know about Kpop because my preteen and teen years were spent with the second generation of Kpop but even then I know that even in my high school days, there never was a Kpop club, given Gangnam Style arrived when I was a junior in high school. I know there was a Kpop club at my college a couple of years in.
American (and British) music dominated the airwaves worldwide. Even in China, you see people knowing about Ariana Grande and Sam Smith. While in each country there is their own Billboard chart like Oricon, to get global success means getting known on the West. That’s why celebs in other countries dreamed about getting onto American soil and have their work recognized, be it anime/manga or movies in any shape or form.
Remember, the ordinary people in the West will only know about BTS as the biggest boyband in the world, taking One Direction’s crown. For them, Kpop and BTS are inseparable, and personally for all BTS is making history (the good kind, not the bad one where I want to get off this ride and go to a terraformed planet already with an alien SO), you can’t separate them when they came from said industry and build upon it new foundations and strides. And this means opening the floodgates for Kpop getting onto the charts.
This means BTS has an uphill battle with the West to take them seriously as more than just a boyband much less a Kpop boyband. Seriously, I have seen ARMYs been denigrated as screaming teenage girls when there is nothing wrong with that, and lots of fandoms and especially ARMY is basically evenly divided in their demographics. BTS may be recognized now as a force of nature in their home country’s music scene. Yet to the West, they have preconceived notions and poorly researched articles. There are only a few gems in the rough when it comes to mainstream media. They like to denigrate BTS’s success in the West as this faceless Kpop wave instead of acknowledging the success of this one band because making it into the Western music market is hard for anybody especially a foreign act when BTS’s rise in the USA was not intentional as BTS never intended to make it here. Is it a wonder BTS wanted to win a Grammy so much?
BTS is aware of their international fanbase, especially when they are the ones buying their albums before the original country began to buy them in large numbers; the Russian ARMYs had to stand up to say ‘Hey! We’re here! Don’t you dare accuse them of chart manipulation when we bought them!’. BTS was focused on their home country with the occasional world tour (Red Bullet) as they never ever thought they will become global superstars with loads of influence. Nobody in the Kpop industry ever thought about the international fanbase beyond casual knowledge it’s a niche genre thus only minor successes in mini world tours and KCON. At the time, they were far more worried about not disbanding and enjoying moderate success, happy with their two daesangs. Average success with the occasional music show wins and daesangs if only getting one per year was all they were happy with, not expecting their albums to chart at all on BB200 and other charts outside of Asia. They did not expect to be invited to AMAs and BBMAs. As they stated many times before, they are grateful to their fans for helping them get this far. They admitted that the rapid superstardom was so discombobulating they considered disbanding with the weight of the achievements and expectations onto them. They did not plan to be these record-breaking global superstars who are the first Asian/Korean act in anything related to music. All they wanted was to achieve their dreams and fine with moderate success as they were not expecting more or less. Do you really think seven kids set out to conquer the Korean music scene much less the idol scene? If you have seen their pre-debut Twitter, they were giddy yet nervous kids anticipating their debut as long years as trainees and just wanted to be successful as say the modestly popular groups. That’s the realistic goal for anyone really. They did not plan on sweeping the award shows or anything they are doing now; all they wanted was to create music and be at least modestly popular since that’s what they can ever hope for. I don't even think in their lifetime they thought they would meet the singers they admire from afar, especially living in another country altogether so the chances are even lower.
There are lots of contributing factors to BTS's worldwide success, especially here in the Western market, the very market the Kpop industry desperately wanted to break into as far as the early 2000s. Luck, timing, a developing fanbase overseas, their usage of social media AKA using it like normal people with posting random stuff like their favorite things and rambling about everyday stuff, and so much more that eventually earned them a spot on BB200 to the point they were invited to the BBMAs.
Anyways, yeah, unless you beat BTS’ records - impossible - or do something new, another Kpop band will just be that. They have preconceived notions about what is a boyband and a Kpop band even is, not helped that their previous exposure are typically memetic and catchy. Seriously, look no closer at non-fans like the Try Guys, Todd in the Shadows, and H3H3. Todd outright said he never bother to look at the lyrics and thought the song he liked from them was just getting the girl when it's more than that. BTS is still trying to break barriers now despite being recognized as the biggest boyband in the world.
NCT and Twice only got so much recognition because of the already predisposed international fanbases. Twice didn’t do the American interviewers boatload like BTS and BP. So because of that, they were simply another Kpop group. Jackson of GOT7 went to the big-name interviewers yet it’s only him; look, I like Jackson but can we see the rest of the team too? NCT and Exo were even nominated for the AMAs 2020, the former even attending the same time as BTS the years following. NCT even got Apple Music’s Artist of the Week as the first Kpop group to do so. Yet all that paled against the giant that is BTS. That everyone knows, even non-Kpop fans like Todd In The Shadows and H3H3. I’m certain the former heard about Blackpink so yeah, he won’t likely hear about Twice anytime soon. If you want to see it, just look at the Try Guys watching BTS than a variety of Kpop groups.
SuperM could’ve done something but to the rest of the West outside of Kpop fans, it’s nothing special. They don’t realize that this project is special because the company wanted to get into globalization so they used the preexisting famed bands and mashed them together. Well, they got it by Billboards changing the bundling rules and being the first Korean act to perform at Madison Square Garden. People are still likely to know more about BTS than SuperM. Heck, people know more about BP than SuperM.
It’s just too bad that SM wanted to compete with BTS so much they were willing to pull back on comebacks for groups that do and would put a dent on SuperM. BTS’s success should not be a litmus; it’s as if saying the Beatles, Seo Taiji & Boys, and perhaps BigBang are for pop groups when it doesn’t work like that. BTS is going to stand next to these living legends, not Exo or Ateez. Exo and Super Junior are great but they aren’t exactly the second coming of these living legends or doing much of anything notable. There is no competition in music but they aren’t exactly influential outside of catchy songs and building a kingdom as a Kpop idol powerhouse. Besides, I don’t think any Kpop group current and future are gonna be as big as BTS so I’m sorry, TXT, The Boyz, and Ateez. Especially not when they only started to use social media and producing their own shows because BTS added richness unintentionally because all BTS wanted was to connect with the fans and conversed with them directly due partly to their gratefulness of support and love. Because they were cut out of broadcasting, BTS and BH made due by giving a lot of free content pre-debut and after.
What these groups should do is be happy they are giving so much to their international fans even if the West can’t differentiate them due to preconceived notions that BTS and to some extent Blackpink, the two frontrunners of this so-called Kpop wave are still crushing as much as they can. While there are few articles giving a shoutout to other bands and soloists, the general public doesn’t and won’t care. They will only know BTS and Blackpink, maybe NCT and Seventeen but that’s not great. I only know BoA and TVXQ because of Inuyasha and One Piece! I know about Apink because of anime! The other groups and the companies wouldn’t know what to do, just savoring when BTS and Blackpink are doing most of the work just to be taken seriously. They need to help break the mentality of boybands and Kpop overall if they want to be taken seriously as musicians who happened to take the route they chose and making the best of it. Even in Korea itself, idol music except the very best groups tends to not be taken seriously and yet groups like Shinee, Exo, and Seventeen are Kpop idol powerhouses. Just look at Korean guys reacting to BTS's Spring Day to get what I mean. I’m certain Seventeen and Ateez were never expected in the future they would be here being interviewed here if it was not for BTS. Even BTS was not expecting those interviews.
And that’s not getting into the logistics for SuperM. It has to be a project since I don’t think the other members like it when they have their own groups. The members have no choice but to work together because Kpop groups are formed by companies, not friends randomly deciding to form a garage band and release their covers or music on YouTube. I'm sure they respect each other but given they have to work together and there will be fights during rehearsals, no matter how reasonable and irrational, it's a given.
All I hope fervently that Exo and NCT have as much exposure individually and tried to make a mark beyond just being just another Kpop band. In the West, they aren’t known to be the powerhouse and monster rookies. Twice over here isn't known as the competing Girl Group with Blackpink.
Only the ones who bother to know beyond BTS can learn more. I mean Safiya Nygaard did mention other bands in her Kpop Makeover video but she also mentioned she fell down the rabbit hole so not a good sign when normal people will likely say BTS over Exo.
The West already has opinions on the Kpop industry and it took BTS to shred the narrative of idols being all manufactured and that they all sing about the same thing. Yes, BTS was still formed by a company yet they took great pains to make sure they aren’t manufactured and truly authentic. Yes, there are some social commentary tracks from other bands like Exo but those are far and in between. Even Seventeen doesn't do that or BigBang since again those tracks are very far and in between. While BTS actively made sure to have at least one social commentary track per album.
SuperM just proved what the West perceives about certain Kpop groups coming over just for success all over the world. BTS’ unprecedented fame in the West was gradual and nobody saw them coming, not even BTS themselves.
The Big 3 wanted a slice of the pie and have plans of having polyglots, especially an English speaker. They just don’t know how to break into the US market, knowing that US charts easily spread all over the world thus dominate the airwaves. When BH and BTS only have an inkling why yet still can’t believe any of this is even happening, the Big 3 are relatively successful with BP coming out on top because they just seem cool and new. And even then YG still messed up because even the ladies were getting antsy and clueless when the next comeback even was. Just because Western artists took one-year hiatus does not mean the ladies who worked so hard to debut wanted that. According to them, it didn't seem like they wrote songs during that interval.
Yet they cannot withstand the power and have to do something as BTS’ backs are breaking just crashing into the cultural barriers. BTS paved the way yet BTS cannot be the only one who has to handle the driver seat. Please, just lift a little of that burden, Blackpink.
Blackpink got a little bit of the share and maybe SuperM, NCT, and Exo too, just a little bit on Exo's case. Twice got a little bit too. But all can't rely on BTS to make all the work for them.
It's gonna take some time before Rain, IU, or even Seo Taiji to be known over here. I mean it took some time for Japanese games and anime/manga to make it over here. Soloists can make it here as most American singers getting into the charts are soloists. Bands do exist, just that it’s hard to do it. I think Maroon 5 even survived because they make bland white noise best to fill the air with elevator music that ranged from mediocre to dreadful.
It's best to think of it that way.
Then again, while the C-ent industry does not need the US or the West, the danmei novels and adaptations do make it over and exploded. So we're gonna see more of Chinese and Korean pop culture to the point it would be the same thing that Japanese video games and anime/manga that people won't blink an eye at honorifics and common Japanese phrases.
The Western music scene is a hard market to break into. Soloists have a better chance of survival and even that’s difficult, seeing Rihanna had eight years before hitting number one. They want something new and authentic just like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Cardi B, and the other powerhouses past and current. Originality, authenticity, and creativity are what will make it here in the West. Well, if the truly bad songs that do make it on the list. And even then it would take years to break into even the number one spot when it could mean how long to get there.
Yes, there will be barriers like language and culture. In the West, people aren’t receptive to Korean in comparison to Spanish so it’s gonna take a while for any non-memetic Korean song to have long staying power on the charts for more than a few weeks and not helped by lack of radio playing, maybe debut high but will drop or barely clinging on during the weeks it spent there. I think the only things comforting are that they broke records and at least managed to cling on to the charts for a few weeks. That’s better than one low charting and just dropping out altogether. The only reason Gangnam Style stayed so long because of memes, something that’s not good when the song has more meaning than that. Again, BTS is still trying to swing at the walls with hammers with their own originality and authenticity, while blocked by preconceived notions of what a boyband much less a Kpop idol group is.
You will not know what will blow up here in the West. For Godoka’s sake, we never expected One Direction or Taylor Swift to blow up here. Just look at Todd in the Shadows reviewing stuff that he never thought would blow up here like Adele and Lorde.
It’s fine for Exo, Got7, and NCT to break it into the Western market but to everyone else, they are not unique or as in-demand as BTS. They are just like every other Kpop boyband. When BTS goes either on hiatus or inactive due to enlistment, I assure you that people would rather anticipate BTS’s return than care about NCT or Got7 as they don’t know any other Kpop bands that are different from one another unless they bother to look. To them, BTS has been known so much that I think even a few members in groups releasing albums would be enough. The other bands that are promoted here haven’t quite seen the traction BTS did. I don’t think any boy group at current can even sit on BTS’s throne because achieving that level of success must be organic (especially here in the West and it will take years for them to crack the top 10) and they aren’t gonna break BTS’s achievements anytime soon when people just see the other Kpop bands as bands trying to break into the market now it’s mainstream kinda - only BTS and BP are - those bands aren’t interesting to the general public to actually differentiate themselves while BTS called for individualism. What will catch people’s attention more? A Grammy-nominated band that has a praised album inspired by the pandemic or a typical boyband that has one album that ranked low on charts that isn’t consistent? I bet Todd in the Shadows will know BTS over NCT so sorry, no Kpop band will take BTS’s place no matter what. I mean One Direction went on hiatus yet people are still waiting for them.
We know BTS does not want to pursue any solo activities, preferring the group; perhaps we might see them go in mini-groups in an early enlistment just as Jin is called just so they could maintain their group until they come back altogether in a few years. I don’t see them enlisting all at once as the older ones worry about the younger’s growth. Especially when JK is still in his early 20s and the older would want him to have more years before enlisting. I think Taekook will enlist together if BTS is planning a mini group thing for enlistment. Since these guys have the until 30 law, Tae might use it just so he could wait for JK is at a decent age to enlist without endangering his growth. That way, BTS will still be called the most popular boyband in the world and continued its grip on the world. The world would rather wait to see them return as 7 as they are fine with only a few members until the mini-groups return one by one. As much as the West is used to a one-year hiatus for their singers, I think they can wait for BTS as other bands aren’t seen as anymore interesting to the public, BTS released one comeback for 2019 so maybe... they’ll release one album per mini-group or something. And given how dedicated the fans are, I just want BTS and BH to know they must be in the public eye as long as possible for the public interest. For world grip. And the pressure is onto them so they must have a plan without ruining the momentum that everyone worried about. And they can’t kill that momentum by enlisting all at once when they’re Grammy-nominated at all. So the planned albums must be done such as the BU universe and probably the continuation of the Map of the Soul series (Shadow and Ego probably). Those are the albums I see as I have seen the consistency of what they write. A year and a half (due to shortened term as of next year) if all enlisted; a typical Western artist thing as most take a one year (and several months) before new releases, a few years if they choose to enlist in groups, or nearly a full decade before coming back as 7 if individually. And considering how much Suga said he hasn’t reached his full potential, I’m guessing the mini-groups will make much sense to not destroy the momentum in the public eye. There could be one half goes and come back until another member turn 30 then the rest will go.
The West wants something new and BTS delivered that during their gradual rise with something the West never saw before in a boyband. And while having preconceived notions about the Kpop industry.
From what I see, the artists right after BTS are relatively on the low end with Blackpink being the most successful, though the latter is only because of the demand. This means while those two groups can stay for at least a few weeks, for now, the others would likely drop out altogether at a couple weeks. The charts are highly competitive and for any foreign group, it’s going to take a while to remain at debut number, especially number one, and stay there for a long time. Especially in a language and culture that people only heard about.
That is exactly it: Demand.
The West asked for BTS and BH only delivered on that. The West invited BTS to attend the BBMAs and AMAs 2017. BTS and BH did not expect that as they repeated many times in the Episodes of said events. BTS did not intend to succeed worldwide, especially in the West, the very market the Big 3 desperately wanted to break into. They were already making records before they went to America to actually promote. Nobody expected to see BTS actually climbing the charts and getting a Grammy nomination!
While Kpop is coming over and being part of Billboards 200 at the very least, people only demand BTS and Blackpink because they offered something different. As much as I like Got7, NCT, Twice, Loona, Ateez, and other bands crossing over here, they aren’t gonna take BTS’s throne as the biggest boyband in the world. Or even Blackpink as the biggest Girl Group over here.
No product offering the same thing will do well over here. Just look at the western boybands alone. There might be some hits and memorable names. In the 90s, Backstreet Boys, NSync, and Boyz II Man did hit the top 10 in the Billboard 100. However, the last time we have boybands back in the early 2010s, One Direction dominated while other bands didn't stand a chance.
The West, while it did have its problems, wants something new in music over here and Kpop is offering something new even if blocked by many misconceptions and barriers with the top ones being BTS and BP. Between One Direction or The Wanted, which will come to mind? The most popular group of course. The West prefers one boyband above all else so we might see the other bands make it on the charts but it would be on the low end. We really might see them on the charts but only the ones people know like BTS or Blackpink is gonna be topping. For now hopefully.
Maybe they will succeed. Though perhaps not the level of success BTS achieved that actually broke the traditional Kpop system that other groups started to do similar stuff. BTS revolutionized the Kpop industry in both kinds of music (adding in not just social issues but also personal as well as music experimentation with all those genius bonuses and making a world that was so profitable through their storytelling) and business, basically what people call them Seo Taiji and Boys’ successors.
I'm sure BTS is still discombobulated even with their growing fame by the day. From being called the next Beatles in the West and the next Seo Taiji & Boys by Korean music critics, they must never think they made it this far. Remember, they explicitly followed that homeless man's advice back in American Hustle Life and content with moderate success. They never expected to be the ones to be the first Asian act in anything.
The Korean music industry still doesn't understand how the US market and how to actually get themselves nominated for the Grammys. Grammys has its issues such as racism and the whole process that K-music critic stated.
BTS and BH understood this as they know they are a global group and to research how the hell any of this works. The Big 3 doesn't understand why BTS did the Grammy interviews and what they did to get onto the radar. Getting one interview on some top talk show is not how the Grammys work. Getting hits on the Billboard charts is not the only ingredient to secure a nomination. The Kpop groups got hits on the charts from the 100 to 200 albeit middling results. SuperM thought they could get a nomination right out of the gate when the Grammys don’t know who they are, same with Got7 and Monsta X. Blackpink’s problems rely on they and YG thought they got celeb collabs and a year-long hiatus hype to secure a nomination.
What I have not seen them go through the proper channels like interviews and getting close up to the Grammys and the museum as I seen the videos on the Grammys YouTube channel with BTS seriously discussing their music with an interviewer genuinely asking sincere and insightful questions. BTS even did long distance video interviews with the Grammys people! Why I haven’t seen any of the other groups’ interviews and doing basically the process? With a foreign band, it’s easier to locate with Grammys videos and guess who was the only Kpop band that did the interviews and performance for 2021 Grammys? BTS, not Blackpink, not SuperM, not Got7, not Monsta X! That’s when I knew the groups outside of BTS will not be considered and didn’t want to break the news to the fans. The Grammys hype for any of these bands outside of BTS was embarrassing to witness as if it wasn’t enough they weren’t doing the process. Billy Ellish did more than what those groups did! Do they think right now they are unworthy to go there when they just practically begged to be nominated? When they haven’t even do anything to garner reputation in the Grammys sphere? The Western artists did more than just television interviews; those are promotions that can help but ultimately must get into a process to even be considered nominees. You could actually watch Taylor Swift’s interviews for the Grammys years back!
So until they understood, Blackpink won't get any nominations for a long time. SuperM and Got7 will never get it. Monsta X could but have to go through channels with Blackpink. Do you know the other Kpop group that can come close to what BTS is doing to get into the Grammys process? GFriend! Gfriend is more likely to get a nomination because at least they did a Grammy interview while BTS did many times. Monsta X, Got7, Blackpink, and SuperM aren't going to get into the graces anytime soon if they don't do interviews and put on a performance. I think it's going to take a shock for the Big 3 if GFriend is nominated before Blackpink. If they listen to Korean music critics than American artists or Korean-American music critics who live in the USA and knows how hard it really is! BTS even donated to the Grammys their Dynamite clothes! Do something more than thinking it’s easier now Kpop is mainstream! No, it’s not easy to secure a nomination! Especially for a foreign group! You must do the work! Did Selena Gomez or Lady Gaga ever told Blackpink or YG this? Unless they thought everyone knew since BTS has shown to go through the process so... yeah... It should be easy since Gaga has been nominated! Having a hit song and artistry aren’t enough though are ingredients! You must go through a process with interviews and just get close to the Grammys people! The interviews will ask serious questions about your artistry that will make that onto the radar; in fact, it’s one of the best interviews BTS have. Don’t wait to be asked to be interviewed by these people! Go right up and ask! The American media and people understood the limitations and weaknesses of their award shows so to see a foreign artist even make a Grammy nod is incredible. Why else people complain about the white men on top?
The K-music industry outside of BTS and BH are clueless how the US music market and the music awards show scene works. None of them are thinking of going through the process to garner what is needed to be done. Kpop thrived amidst the pandemic yet only BTS and BH arranged interviews with the Grammys for consideration. Grammys is hard for a reason, yes, it has problems with POC and foreign groups, but it’s not as easy as getting hits on the Billboard charts when they haven’t done the process, something Western artists and media knows about the process as The Weeknd complained about it and the media and fans lambasted the snubs.
What will happen to Kpop and Korean music in the future can be anything. All I can see is that Kpop here will be just like how anime/manga and Japanese videos are like here, growing in fandoms and interest just like Chinese danmei novels and adaptations moving over here in popularity.
Let's look at it how anime is viewed then and today. Back in the 80s, most dubs that came over here are either mashups (Voltron) or good ones that do come over that are badly dubbed or barely decent. Then came the 90s which blew up and then anime became a mainstay ever since. If I see this correctly, the one-hit-wonders like Crayon Pop and BigBang are like the Voltron. Psy could be deemed the catalysts 90s part of the equation, leading to the blowup that BTS is now of both the 90s till current times.
Just like people getting the basics of Japanese culture already that we don't need to translate honorifics because people already knew that, we're getting there with Kpop and Kdramas.
Whereas we're in the 80s portion of where anime is when it comes to the Chinese danmei and adaptations coming over. It's gonna take a while to get any accurate translations in these Chinese dramas that are now in demand after CQL. The only thing accurate for now are the translations of the novels and that's it.
I rather like this part of history than y'know the war and tensions. This year makes me want to cry into my beer.
I hope these idols-in-training do well in their future and pay off that debt of theirs.
The industry of K-pop has been talked to death. Lawsuits about maltreatment rampant the companies. But everyone knows that.
The only way I can even see the industry changing beyond actually supporting their idols by paying them their due is its evolution. The system may work now but it would still have to change.
For now, fans can support them by doing whatever they can to help them.
Speaking of fans...
Kpop fans have a bad reputation. To make this clear, a large majority of fans aren't crazy and reasonably enjoy whatever their idol gives them. Those fans would also go to concerts and send gifts to them.
The small percentage is probably the insane ones. Refusing to see that their idols have personal lives, stalking them, fierce to anybody who either disagrees or just neutral to whatever they're stanning.
Yeah... an immature bunch.
Immature fans are in every fandom known to man. There is nothing wrong with passion but there should be a line drawn.
Fans having fights are well-known. In-fighting about ships and writing and so on are well-known. Fans are allowed to criticize and talk it out with others about theories and so forth.
What they are not allowed to do is harass people to the point of death threats. That is not cool. This will traumatize your idols in the years to come and they would do everything to keep themselves safe from harm. And these sasaeng fans are harming them. Why is your dearest wish was to cause them to harm just for attention!? This is not fan behavior, it's stalker serial killer behavior!
These idols are already going enough trouble with their low pay. The last things they want are stalkers and death threats.
Kpop stans who harass your idols, don't do this. You are not giving your idols the love and support they wanted. What you are giving them is an unhealthy deranged obsession.
I mean it's one thing for them to have a contract, but it's another to deal with stalkers who invade their personal lives.
The closest thing to sane and mature Kpop fans are the BigBang fans. And I think a large part was that the group was not advertised as this bf group the same way later groups did. For growing up alongside them and didn't want their idols to get lonely. From the reactions I got from Taeyang's wedding announcement was FINALLY.
I hope groups in the future won’t be advertised as this gf/bf to the only small demographic that are only in it for that. The Kpop industry needs to work on that just as much as they are trying to stave off the sasaeng. And that’s difficult as there are a thousand sasaeng following a celeb at any given time. And the apparent sasaeng industry.
It's gonna take a long time for the gf fans mentality to go away. I mean the last time the gf fans were in the public eye was with the Chen incident that was widely mocked by only less than a dozen people showing up.
BTS certainly is living up to one of their many names as one of the great bands that has consistent charting. Beatles are still charting today and Queen is played on Spotify just as much as BTS are on Korean charts. You can find BTS albums still tracking on Gaon Album Charts while Spring Day is still to this day the longest-charting song on Melon. Even BTS Love Yourself Answer managed to stay on the BB200 for a year! And that chart is very, very hard to stay on, even for the famous American artists like Taylor Swift and Drake and Drake usually stays around over 100 and a few weeks on said charts on his many albums. It may look easy now to Kpop groups but that’s because their international fanbases are already there and it’s much easier now BTS opened the doors for people to know other idol groups. Yet it will be hard to even stay there for even half a year.
Given these guys' reaction and apparently other songs from BTS being heard on the streets and variety dramas, it's unexpected to hear an idol group's songs on the streets. Here in the US, you can hear popular songs on the radio and in other populous areas like clubs. It seems the same way in SK.
Usually, for longevity, the general public aka casual listeners would the ones to be to decide the eventual longevity. While fans tried, it doesn't always work since the artist will always release new music and they can't always bring it up. For Spring Day to be this loved by the general public that many people don't even know it's originally from an idol group but a ballad group, it must have been so timeless and transcending for the general public to love it so much to continue charting since its release back in 2017. I heard many of BTS's songs are heard everywhere from the streets to TV shows so it must be shocking to the group that their songs were this recognized. Because they were recognized by the general public even though the general public might not realize it's an idol group producing this classic music, it must be shocking to BTS that they are being recognized on the same level as many soloists that have their songs played commonly on the streets. And not by buskers though that only adds to.
It must be even more shocking to their peers and predecessors since idol music is typically looked down upon and only the very best ones are the ones who usually tried something different to not only stand out but also play elsewhere than just karaoke. I mean BigBang and barely Girl's Generation made it on the Korean most influential musicians list and those are just two idol groups; I'm certain you are going to see BTS be added to the list as their songs and albums are everywhere. As much as I hate to admit it you folks, I don't think Exo or Seventeen or Ateez is gonna make it on there. Now in the Kpop sphere, they must be the reigning nobles with the other notables like Super Junior, Shinee, and Shinhwa. But BTS is now sitting on their own thrones besides living legends like BigBang and Seo Taiji. They became living legends themselves as Kpop fans pointed out years after which they comment on their debut performance. The other rising groups like Seventeen and Ateez are either priests or knights on the rise. While SNSD is on the throne as the reigning girl group, their successor is still up in the air as the girl groups of today, both 3rd and 4th generations, are still fighting it out. So for any of these groups that aren’t gonna be listed on the influential list of Korean musicians anytime in their lifetime, they can be happy they are even successful at all. As typically only one percent of idols can make it while the rest don’t. And if the rest of the percentage is perfectly fine with moderate success, especially since international fanbases do help now, then I guess they would be fine.
For now, idol groups will be recognized. Less so, soloists and bands that aren’t idols like Day6 and IU. I’m sorry, 6Band and Son Seungyeon, you will not be on the Billboards. The very idol groups Korean like to denigrate as standardized and manufactured dolls are the very same ones that will be the main force of the Korean wave as BTS remains the center.
While soloists are what the US usually has and tops, bands do exist so groups would have a harder time even though they are the only ones recognized right now. Korean soloists and bands that aren't idols are gonna have some trouble since they aren't recognized over here by the general public. Even though they are more likely to fit into how the US music market usually works. Which is just the same as in the Korean music market where soloists usually tops with the occasional bands including idol groups. The only ones the general public can name are BTS and Blackpink. As much as the other bands are getting on talk shows too and interviews, it's unlikely they are gonna be recognised as any other Kpop band to the public at large. Seriously, if NCT was mixed up for BTS, then NCT has a long way to go to be recognized. And even then, they won't be able to differentiate themselves much as they have to do something truly eye-catching and original.
